Are You Hurting the One You Love?
by idareyouto
Summary: RSS gift for bleedsonlydust. Canon until Shattered Sight. During the Spell of Shattered Sight Belle protects Rumpelstiltskin from Killian and the result is something neither of them expected. Now the whole town must fight the Snow Queen and deal with the consequences. Rumbelle plus all other major characters including Frozen.
1. Love Will Save Your Soul

Hi Everyone! This is my RSS gift to bleedsonlydust. The prompt was Belle risks life. Gold mad. I started with that and then just went from there. This is canon until Shattered Sight. I hope you guys like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters.

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><p>She was crying and yelling and so, so angry. He just stood there looking at her sadly, repeating how sorry he was. Killian saw it as his opportunity. Gold was paying no attention to the purse at his side, to the dagger on the table, and even less attention to Killian who was standing behind him. Killian, who normally hated the crocodile but at least held him a grudging respect, was now fully taken by the curse of the shattered glass. His normal hatred of Rumplestiltskin was magnified tenfold and he knew he must kill the Dark one. And now he finally knew how.<p>

It was well known that the monster was invincible but there was one thing that could kill him, the dagger. He had seen him hurt before by the dagger with Zelena and he knew the dagger would kill Gold. And there it was, just lying on the table between the two of them. It was now or never, Killian decided and he reached for the dagger, grabbing it without Gold even noticing, his eyes so transfixed on Belle. Belle however saw Killian as he grabbed the dagger and in a split instant her mind made a decision. The spell of shattered sight told Belle that she hated Gold, hated how he had lied to her, betrayed her, broken his promise to her, hated that he was the Dark One, hated how all those years ago he had thrown her out. The spell told her he was evil and that she should let Killian kill him, but in the split second before it happened her heart took over, true love won and she jumped in front of the knife that Killian was about to plunge into her husband. It hurt worse than anything she had ever felt and she screamed in pain as she fell to the floor. Gold turned in an instant watching his wife take the dagger that was meant for him. He grabbed her as she fell to the floor, cradling her in his arms and Killian pulled the knife back and went to finally plunge it into his intended target but Gold was aware now and instead Killian felt Gold's magic slam him into a wall.

Gold turned toward him and growled, "I'll deal with you later" and Killian felt magic wrap around him and the next second he was a parrot in a cage. He squawked in protest but it was only the three of them in the room.

Gold was holding Belle and he was trying to use magic to heal her when Emma burst into the shop.

"Gold, Gold!" Emma yelled running into the shop only to stop short when she saw both Golds on the ground, Belle bleeding heavily and Rumplstiltskin appearing deep in thought.

"Belle" Emma gasped, "What happened?" and then she remembered the spell and stepped back, "Did you do this?" She asked Gold horrified, "I thought you would be immune but…"

"Oh, I'm immune," he snarled, "this was your pirate boyfriend's doing."

"What? Where is he?" Emma looked around in confusion.

"Oh, he's right there" he sneered at the parrot, "now if you wouldn't mind shutting up, I'm trying to save Belle's life here." Gold yelled angrily at Emma.

"Can't you just heal her?" Emma questioned, only to receive a glare by Gold and no response. She was right, thought Gold, but he couldn't heal her because this was a wound caused by the dagger and his curse couldn't heal a wound it itself had created. However, Rumplestiltskin had been alive for over 300 years and he hadn't wasted the time. He almost exclusively used his dark magic because the curse required he used it, plus it was easy. The dark magic inside him was so powerful and he had a nearly unlimited supply. However he did know other magic and well it appeared now he needed to use it. Light magic was out of the question, he knew very little plus he doubted it would work for him; he was after all the Dark One. Elemental magic, however, could work. It had been years since he had to use it but he could still remember the spell he needed.

Emma watched in amazement as a deep blue magic poured out of Gold and into Belle. How did he do that, she wondered, his magic should be black but all the same it seemed to be working. The bleeding stopped and Belle opened her eyes,

"Rumple!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, Belle" he signed happily, he was going to pay for that magic but for now all he cared about was that his wife was sitting up alive next to him.

Emma, however, was confused. Shouldn't she hate him? He may have been immune to the curse but she wasn't. Rumple sensed her confusion and turned to her, letting out a small laugh, "true love can break any curse dearie" he answered her unasked question.

He looked pale and seemed like he might pass out himself and Emma wondered what spell he had cast to save Belle exactly. But then his word's hit her and all of a sudden she knew how to save Storybook. True love, oh god that sounded cheesy she thought, but it could work. True love could break any curse!


	2. All You Need is Love

"Gold!" Emma yelled in excitement, "kiss Belle!"

"What?" Rumple looked at Emma like she had lost her mine. Oh it wasn't that he didn't want to kiss Belle but the savior wasn't the biggest fan of him or his relationship with Belle.

"True love, you said it could break any curse!" Emma explained, "and well I was always a bit skeptical that you could have true love but it seems you do, so kiss your wife already!"

Rumple figured he couldn't argue with the woman and leaned in to kiss Belle. As his lips met hers, a wave of light magic washed out of them and washed over the buildings near Gold's pawnshop.

"Congratulations Ms. Swan, looks like you figured out how to save us all again." Gold smirked at Emma.

"Rumple," Belle gasped, "you just used light magic."

"Well that may be going a bit far." But he smiled back at her as slowly caressed her face.

"Okay, this is sweet and all," Emma interrupted, "but can you please turn Killian back?" Killian, the parrot, squawked in agreement.

Rumplestiltskin has all but forgotten about Killian but now turned toward the parrot. "I don't think so Ms. Swan, he tried to murder my wife."

"No Rumple, I think he was trying to kill you." Belle interrupted.

"And why did you jump in front of me?" Rumple was getting angry now, "you know I can't die! You can though Belle!"

Emma expected Belle to yell back but instead she just responded, "Oh Rumple, we both know the dagger can kill you." At this she reached out to touch him, "and I would give my life for you any day."

Rumple had been calming down but at the last statement his anger seemed to return, "Don't ever say that Belle. I have lived hundreds of years, I have had my life. I already thought you were dead because of me once, I do not want that to ever actually be true. Promise me you will let me die next time!"

"Rumple, don't you think that's a little ominous? You don't know there is going to be another next time." Belle responded

"Well then promise me all the same" Rumple commanded

"Fine," Belle huffed, "I will promise not to try and save you next time someone tries to kill you but only if you tell me the truth. The whole truth, about the dagger and whatever else you've been hiding."

Before Rumple could respond Emma interrupted, "Look, this is all real touching and well, I'd actually like to know the truth too, but first it would be really great if you could turn Killian back into a human and then not kill him."

As Rumple turned to glare at Emma, the unnoticed brown satchel that had been innocently sitting on the floor turned on its side. A tiny heart fell out and rolled to Belle's feet. She reached down and picked it up in confusion and amazement.

"Rumplestiltskin," Belle's voice split the tension in the room, "whose heart is this?"

Well Rumple was screwed and looking at the two women glaring at him he figured the only way to get out of this situation was with the truth, well the truth and a deal.

"I'll tell you," Rumple smiled, "but first I propose a deal."

Belle was miffed and about to protest when Emma stepped in, "And what are the conditions of this deal?"

"Well this heart here is the pirate's you so love."

"But it's tiny!"

"Well it's a bird's heart since he is a bird, anyway, the deal goes like this. I give you the heart and turn Mr. Jones back into a person. I don't kill Mr. Jones. You leave and leave me alone." Rumple smiled sneakily.

"Hmm," Emma thought about it, "I want to add something" she said, "I want you to tell me the whole truth."

"And what do I get for that addition to the deal?"

"Immunity. I won't arrest you for stealing Killian's heart."

"I don't think that's illegal in this land, in fact I don't think there are any laws about that in this land at all. Otherwise Regina would have been in prison a long time ago."

"Fine," Emma thought about it, "if you tell me the entire truth, I will not arrest you for anything you tell me. I also will ensure that Killian does not try to kill you when he is a human again" Rumple laughed at this, Killian wouldn't have been able to kill him anyway but he let the savior continue, "and I won't tell anyone you don't want to know whatever you tell me."

Belle chimed in here and her eyes turned to Rumple with a look of anger, "Do it Rumple, I would like to know the whole truth as well. Plus I'm the one holding the heart and I'm going to give it to Emma whether you make this deal or not." Her voice did not quiver or shake but Emma could see the anger and disappointment rolling off her.

Apparently Rumple did too and responded to Emma, "Fine. Deal."


	3. Life, Love, & Lies

"Okay, Emma said, first I want Killian changed into a human. He can verify that you are telling the truth then." At this Rumple began to root around in his cabinet of potions, looking for the one that undid animal spells.

"Can't you just use your magic for this? Do you really need a spell." Emma wanted Killian back now and the man was the most powerful sorcerer in the land, couldn't he just wave his hand and poof, her pirate would be back?

"Right now, no" Rumple said bitterly. Emma took a good look at him, she had forgotten how pale he had looked earlier and really he looked no better now.

Belle seemed to notice as well and as much as she was angry at Rumplestiltskin right now, she still loved him and so asked worriedly, "are you okay Rumple?"

"Dark ones are made to use other magic" was his response, "See I know other magic but I hardly use it because the curse and its dark magic has claimed me. When I use other magic, the dark curse gets angry with me. I always say magic has a price well when I use magic that isn't dark magic I see the price immediately. To save Belle I had to use elemental magic and the price will be that I will feel her injury as if it is my own."

"But won't that kill you?" Belle asked

"No, the curse won't allow me to die. Just to suffer. It doesn't mind that all" he let out a laugh at the end, but no one, not even him found it even the least bit funny. "Using true love's kiss to break the spell didn't really help either, the curse hates that even more than elemental magic. The price for that is a day or two without magic which means that to return your lovely boyfriend I need to use a potion I already made." With that he went back to searching and soon pulled out a small bottle. He handed it to Emma and said, "here you are Ms. Swan, pour this over Killian and he will be a person again. Might want to remove him from the cage first, don't think he'll fit in it when he's a pirate again." Rumple did find this funny but he kept his giggling to a minimum.

Emma grabbed the potion from the dark wizard and grabbed the parrot from the cage. She then poured it into the bird's mouth, not exactly an easy feat, but all the same she managed to accomplish it. The bird began to sparkle and then grow and soon it morphed back into Killian. Emma kissed him hard but noticed the same feeling she had when he kisser her goodbye before the curse hit. Belle meanwhile almost shrieked, the tiny heart she had held between two of her fingers grew as Killian did and it was now a beating human heart. She looked at it in surprise; she had never seen a removed heart before. Killian's heart was an interesting mixture of dark and light. The evil he had done marking it black, but the people he had loved leaving light spots as well.

"Crocodile" he growled turning as though he was going to lunge at Rumplestiltskin.

"Wait" Emma grabbed him, "I made a deal you wouldn't hurt him."

"I know, I was a parrot not death, love," Killian growled, "doesn't mean I have to like it!" He aimed an angry look at Rumple who didn't seem worried at all.

Belle meanwhile walked over to Emma and handed the heart to her. Rumple began to instruct Emma on how to reinsert hearts. "Okay Emma, this is going to require some magic. First I want you to think happy thoughts," Rumple rolled his eyes at this, "and then feel the magic power that comes with that. Now take the heart and imagine in your mind putting it back into his body, imagine where in his body you want to put it. Okay, good" he said all the while watching her, "now just hold it in your hand and put it where you imagined, you'll go right through his skin." Emma did as she was instructed and slowly her hand went through Killian and his heart was in his chest again. Emma hugged Killian and Rumple thought that maybe she would forget that he had promised to tell her the truth.

Belle, however, had definitely not forgotten and she turned to Rumple, "Okay, it's time for the truth now." Emma nodded as well and turned toward the Dark One.

"Well I found a hat, it's one of the most powerful magical items in the world. See it allows you to break a rule of magic."

"Great," Emma said sarcastically, "but how does this have anything to do with you stealing Killian's heart?"

"I'm getting there. Patience really is not one of your virtues" Rumple quipped at Emma, "to operate this hat, it must be, well charged kind of like your cellphone. Except you don't plug the hat into the wall, you need to fill it with magic. Killian has been helping me do that."

"And whose magic did you fill it with?" Emma asked, "is that what you were going to do with my magic?" She didn't seem that angry yet, but then he hadn't explained the whole person goes with the magic aspect yet.

"Well the hat's currently charge now with the magic of the sorcerer's apprentice and the faeries."

"You're the one that destroyed Granny's?" Emma gasped beginning to understand that magic wasn't the only thing sucked into the hat.

"Well actually that was your boyfriend, but he was acting under my control. He sucked up all the little faeries and now the hat is charged."

Belle spoke up now, her voice shaking as she asked the question everyone had been wondering, "So what happened to the faeries?"

"Oh they aren't dead, don't worry. Just trapped in the hat until it is used. Once the hat is used, they will be released, however they will also be stripped of their powers. And there you have it, the truth."

"But why?" Belle asked this now looking sad, "why destroy the faeries and the sorcerer and steal Killian's heart all to fill a hat?"

"Well I was actually hoping to fill it up three times. First, to bring back Bae. The hat can break the laws of magic, it can bring him back. Second, it can separate me from the dagger and the no one will be able to control me or use me. And well third, to return to the Enchanted Forest." All of his admissions left the group standing there dumbfounded. He was going to bring back the dead, he was actually going to resurrect someone. Belle sensed there was more that he wasn't saying but that could wait until they were alone.

Killian was the first to pipe up. "That's not the whole truth Dark One."

This was the part that Rumple regretted the most. The part he really wish he didn't have to tell Belle. The hat, the faeries, the sorcerer, Killian's heart, those had all been terrible things, but they hadn't been done to her. Belle definitely didn't condone his dark actions but she knew that was part of him and loved him still. What he was about to say was that part that was going to make her angry. The fact that he had lied to her, to her face was going to break her heart and he hated himself for ever doing this to her.

"Belle," he turned to her and he knew she saw it in his eyes, so that he was about to say something terrible, "I lied to you. The dagger I gave you, it wasn't real. Not all the time. Most of the time you did have the real dagger but there were times when I needed it. Times when I switched it out with a fake."

"But you went to the Snow Queen's lair with me! The dagger cut you then so it had to be real!" She didn't want to believe him but he could see the hurt in her eyes already.

"It was real then," he responded, "it was real most of the time."

As much as Killian was enjoying his nemesis's pain, Emma just felt incredibly awkward. "Well I think you two have a lot to talk about," she said grabbing Killian, "we're going to go check on the rest of Storybrooke." And with that the two of them slid out of the pawnshop. The door bell tinkled as the two of them left and it was just the two lovers in the shop now, staring at each other with eyes of hurt and uncertainty waiting for someone to say something.

Belle spoke first, her voice barely a whisper, "Was it real," she paused here, "when you proposed to me?" Before he even answered she knew the answer, she could see it in his eyes. "You proposed to me over a lie!" She yelled, angry now. "Everything, Rumple, everything has been based on a lie!" Tears were running down her face and Rumple's eyes had begun to well up as well but Belle didn't care. She turned to storm out but he grabbed her gently.

"Belle, it wasn't a lie. Yes, the dagger wasn't real but I meant every word I said. I love you, more than anything else in the world. I want to be with you."

"Well you really fucked that up" she quipped at him and the curse wound sounded so foul and harsh in her mouth that he stepped back. "What did you even do with the real dagger?"

Well this was going to get worse Rumplstiltskin thought. "I killed Zelena." Belle laughed at this, not a nice laugh but a hollow one as if she couldn't believe this was happening. "I had to" Rumple continued trying to get her to understand. "She killed Bae. I spent 300 years looking for him. Until I met you, he was the only purpose my life had. Finding him was the sole goal in my life and just like that, she killed him! Like it was nothing. It's her fault he is dead. And it's also mine, if Bae hadn't brought me back he would be alive now. I couldn't do nothing. I had to kill Zelena. I just, Belle, she had me for a year. For an entire year she controlled me, you saw me, she kept me locked in a cage. Like a pet, like some powerless animal. She almost made me hurt you Belle. Belle, she …she… controlled everything I did. She tormented me, I just, I couldn't let her live after that."

"I get it." Belle said, her voice flat. Rumple's eyes looked at her in astonishment so she elaborated. "I get it, I get why you thought you had to kill her. Rumple, people always tell me you are an evil man. That you do terrible things and they ask how I can stand it. The thing is Rumple, I don't care what you do, I will always love you. When I met you, you were the Dark One and it was the Dark One, I fell in love. I will always believe that you can change, that you can be better and while I will never condone murdering someone, I will still love you if you do."

"I don't think you'd still love me if you knew all the things I did Belle." Rumple said, "I'm a monster, a beast, you are the beauty."

"Rumple I met you because you acquired me on a deal, I know who you are. You can't help who you fall in love with and I fell in love with you. No, the only thing that I don't get, that I don't know if I will ever understand is how you could lie to me about it. How could you look me in the eyes and lie to me? How could you promise me love and commitment over a lie?"

"I thought I was protecting you" Rumplestiltskin responded, his voice low and full of regret.

"Well I don't need your protection. I need your trust, I need the truth. I told you once. I make my own choice, I make my own destiny. I don't need you to decide what I can and can't handle."

"I'm so sorry Belle. I won't promise you perfection Belle, but I'll try to be better."

"That's not enough Rumplestiltksin. I'm going to stay above the library for awhile and you need to think about what is really important to you. I don't want to get in the way of your quest for Bae anyway."

"Belle" he gasped as she turned to leave, "please" he begged, "don't go. The hat's charged, as soon as I get my magic back, I'll bring Bae back, there is nothing else I need to do."

She listened to him but when he was done, "she turned sadly and walked again to the exit, "goodbye Rumple." She whispered as the door clicked shut and it was just him alone in his shop.


	4. Is Your Love Big Enough

As soon as she left, he sat down. He wasn't sure what hurt more, his heart or the unseen knife wound in his chest. He knew the wound wouldn't kill him but it was going to do its best and as he laid down in the cot on the back he felt the world begin to spin. He didn't fight it, passing out might be a nice break from life right now he thought. Belle meanwhile had made it about four steps out the turn before she realized that she didn't have the keys to the library apartment. They were in the back of Gold's shop in her purse where she had left it in her hurry to get out before he convinced her to stay. She turned around and walked to the back door and slid in, hoping he was still in the front and wouldn't here her. She saw the purse and grabbed it, about to leave when she saw Rumple passed out on the floor. The damn idiot, the knife wound was probably worse than he let on. She walked over and slapped him. Well how else do you wake up an unconscious person plus she was still incredibly angry at him.

"Belle" he said groggily, "did you just slap me?" he asked astonished.

"Yes, and you deserved it, now get up, I'm taking you to the hospital." She grabbed him and helped him unsteadily to his feet.

"You came back," he said happily.

"I just had to grab my purse," she answered seeing his face fall. "come one, let's get to the car." She helped him to the car and as soon as he slid into the seat, his eyes shut. Shit, she thought, he definitely couldn't die from this, right, she wondered worriedly. She put her foot firmly on the gas and sped to the hospital.

Once at the hospital Whale came out and asked with confusion, "What's wrong with him?"

"He used elemental magic to heal me from a stab wound to the chest and the price was that he has the wound now, though you can't see it on the outside. He said it wouldn't kill him because the curse won't let it, but he doesn't look so good. He can't heal it because he doesn't have any magic right now. The curse wasn't happy that our true love broke the shattered sight curse."

"Ah, so that's why everyone's normal again."

"Yeah" Belle responded embarrassed by her word vomit to the doctor a second ago but when she got nervous she tended to do that and well right now, she was very nervous.

"Okay, well I will admit him" Whale said, "I'm not sure what exactly I can do for him but some IV fluids should help."

Whale set him up in a hospital bed and connected him to several IVs and a heart monitor. The doctor checked on him occasionally and told Belle that he seemed to be doing better but he still hadn't woken up. Belle planned to leave as soon as he began to wake up, she was serious about the time apart. She loved the man but she wasn't one of the people he could manipulate and play. No, she was his wife and she deserved better than this. So when she saw his eyes begin to flutter, she collected her stuff and began to leave but apparently not fast enough.

"Belle?" he said as she was about to leave. "Where am I?" And then Gold remembered. Killian had stabbed Belle, he had used elemental magic to save her, he had told her the truth, he had passed out on the floor, she had came back.

"You're in hospital, you passed out in the shop. I know you said you can't die from this but Whale said you were pretty close."

"Well I can see your leaving but Belle, no matter what I did, I never meant to hurt you. I love you, you know that right?" Rumple asked hesitantly.

Belle walked over the bedside and placed a kiss gently on his lips. "Rumple, as angry as I am at you right now, I still love you. I just need sometime to think but I know. I know you love me and I love you too. Goodbye" and with that she was gone.


	5. Friends, Lovers, or Nothing

Life went on. When Emma and Killian had left Gold's pawnshop, they had found that the curse really was broken. They searched all of Storybrooke and found that everywhere everyone was curse free. Emma was embarrassed; people kept coming up to thank her for saving them. She tried to tell them it was Belle and Rumple but very few people actually believed the Dark One had saved them all from imminent death. Ironically Rumplestiltskin had saved most of them before, whether in the enchanted forest or here in Storybrooke. Hell, he had saved the whole town when he killed Pan and sacrificed himself but the people of Storybrooke had short memories. Maybe it was a side effect of living 28 years without their real memories.

Gold didn't mind. He was fairly sure most people would never forgive him for creating the curse that had brought them all here in the first place. He really didn't mind though, he would rather Emma get the credit anyway. It would increase her credibility as the savior and he didn't need his reputation ruined with people thinking he had a heart. He had certainly proven to Belle he didn't. Henry came to visit him when he was in the hospital, going on and on about all the happy reunions around town he had seen when Emma and Killian had grabbed him after running out of the shop. Gold didn't mind, he was thankful for the company and the distraction. He could feel his magic returning slowly, another day or two in the hospital and he would be fine. And then he could get Bae back and well maybe his son could help me figure out someway to get Belle to forgive him.

Meanwhile in the apartment above the library Belle lay in bed, tired but unable to sleep. She hadn't slept by herself in awhile now and she was finding it hard to sleep without Rumple's arms around her. She also couldn't stop thinking about the whole situation. She had tried to keep busy the last two days, stocking and reorganizing the library but eventually she began to look like a walking zombie and so she had decided that she had to get some sleep. But now here she lay in bed, thinking about him again. She wished she had someone to talk to but she knew she couldn't really tell anyone what Rumple had done. That would only get him arrested and she might be angry with the man, but she did not want that. She refused to go see him though. She knew he was getting better, Whale had promised to text her updates but if he wanted to make this right than he would have to come to her. Eventually the days without sleep caught up to her and she fell into a fitful sleep.

Four days had gone by since the breaking of the shattered sight curse and Emma, Killian, the Charmings, Robin, Regina, Elsa, and now Anna and Kristoff had had no luck finding the Snow Queen. The evil woman hadn't tried anything else though Elsa and Emma still had the weird yellow bracelets on their wrists.

"Where could she be? Emma asked annoyed.

"I have no idea" Elsa added, "I don't understand. We have literally searched every single corner of Storybrooke."

"She could be hiding it with magic" Regina added.

"Couldn't you see it then?" Mary Margaret piped up

"Maybe but she's very powerful, it's possible she could hide it, even from me." Regina admitted. "Is Gold out of the hospital yet? He's probably the only one who might know where she is."

Emma wanted to scream, yes, he know's exactly where she is! But she couldn't break the deal and telling everyone that Gold had in fact talked to the Snow Queen would definitely be breaking the deal so instead she just answered the question about his hospital stay.

"Yeah, he was released this morning. Henry says he has all of his magic back as well. Though I'm not sure how willing he will be to help us." Emma said all the while thinking, yeah he's probably a bit busy trying to resurrect Neal but she kept that to herself as well.

"Well then I think we better go ask Mrs. Gold. I'm sure she can get him to find the queen." Regina suggested and on any other day, it probably would have been a good one but now right now.

"Ehm," Killian interrupted this time, "I don't think that's a good idea. They are having a bit of a tiff to put it mildly."

"What are you two friends now?" Regina sneered, "how would you know that?"

Emma jumped in, "We saw them fighting a couple days ago, look let's just not bother Belle and go ask the man."

A decision made the group set out to the pawnshop, unaware that Rumplesiltskin wasn't in his shop. As soon as Rumplestiltskin had been released from the hospital with a doctor's clean bill of health and his magic back in full force, he had grabbed the hat and had gone to Bae's grave. He longed desperately to go see Belle but she had asked for space and after everything he had done that was the least he could give her. Plus part of him was scared, part of him didn't want to go see her only for her to tell him to leave. It broke his heart when she did that and the dark curse loved that. The dark curse whispered sweetly in his ear that this was what he deserved for thinking he could find true love. The dark curse told him he was a monster after all, the most powerful one in all the land and he didn't need some girl. His heart disagreed but he was growing tired of putting up a fight. He had fought for true love, fought for Bae, fought for Henry, fought for his own freedom, and he had fought to protect his family and where did that leave him? With none of them but soon he would have Bae and surely that would make everything better.

Plus Bae was good with women, right? Maybe he could give him some ideas on how to apologize to Belle. Hi son had left his pregnant girlfriend, not that he had known and it was necessary but still, he left her to go to jail and she had somehow managed to forgive him.

So Rumplestiltskin went to the cemetery and walked slowly over to his son's grave. He stood over the grave, his dagger in his hand, and the sorcerer's hat on his head. He wasn't really sure exactly what to do, he had never summoned someone from the dead before but he figured it would work as all magic does, with desire and emotion. He welcomed the curse and it felt wonderful, the power cursing through his veins. And then the magic of the hat filled him. He had never felt so alive, so powerful, and so free as he did with the curse magic and the hat magic cursing through his veins. The hat magic bounded well with the curse magic. It wasn't light magic, it wasn't dark magic, and it wasn't elemental magic, no, it was just magic, pure and unreformed. Using the power cursing through him he slammed his fist into the ground that he was standing on, reaching down until his hand slammed through the coffin and grabbed Bae's dead body. It felt like bones and dirt but as his hand touched Bae Rumplestiltskin could feel skin beginning to form around the old bones. Holding unto his son, Rumple pulled and well the scene couldn't have been any more similar to a zombie movie. Rumple pulled Bae out of the ground beneath his feet and thought that maybe he should have waited til night for this but well he was impatient and it was too late now. As Bae was pulled out of the grave by his father, dirt was pushed out of his body by the spell and his body glowed as his skin finished reforming.

He gasped for air, confusion apparent on his face. "Papa, where am I? Did you die too? Is this the afterlife?"

Rumplestiltskin said nothing, instead pulling his son close and hugging him tight. For three hundred years he had searched for boy, only to have him ripped from him again, but now he was standing here. It had actually worked: he had resurrected the dead.

"Bae, this isn't the afterlife. Welcome back to Storybrooke."

"But… I died, so that you could live."

"And I will be forever grateful for your sacrifice but did you really think I would let you leave again that easily?"

Rumple smiled slyly and Bae laughed, asking with astonishment, "you brought me back from the dead? That's impossible! It's against the laws of magic!" Once Bae had reappeared the hat, now used up, had reverted back to its box shape and was still held in Rumple's hand.

"This, my son, is the sorcerer's hat and it allows one to break one law of magic. I chose that silly law about bringing people back from the dead."

"Wait, is the law broken forever now? Because there are a lot of dead people I do not want coming back!"

"No of course not. The hat allows for only a single break in the law."

Bae was relieved and hugged his father close, "Thank you" he said sincerely.

"I love you Bae" was Rumple's only reply.

It warmed his heart greatly as Bae responded, "I love you too." But then Bae had a worried look in his eyes, "What was the price of this magic?"

"Nothing you or eye will have to pay."

"Well then who paid it? And you better not lie to me, not after everything we've been through."

Rumple paused, it would have been so easy to lie to him. That was the thing about lies, they were so easy to tell and so helpful. They protected people, protected them from knowing the truth about him. But then he remembered the look of hurt and anguish in Belle's eyes when she had found out he was lying to her and so he told his son the truth.

"Oh the price wasn't too terrible. Just stripped the magic from an old sorcerer and some terrible faeries." Rumple waited for the angry response from Bae but he got none.

"Well that doesn't seem to terrible at all. No one died and those faeries never used their magic for much good anyway." Being in Rumple's mind for almost a year he understood his father's hate for the faeries and was actually quite impressed that his father hadn't killed them all years ago.

"Actually," Rumple realized with surprise, "the faeries and the sorcerer should have came out of the hat when it was used up." And then he noticed that the box was glowing in his hand and as he set it down a blue puddle began to ooze out of it much as a black one had when Bae had opened up the vault. The blue puddle began to spread out and from it rose the old sorcerer and the three faeries.

"Dark One!" The sorcerer gasped, "you will never get it to work!"

"Actually, I already did," he released a giggle, "Everyone meet my son, who is happily on longer dead."

At this point the faeries had emerged as well and Blue gasped exclaiming, "this is Dark magic, you can not resurrect the dead!"

"Well I am the Dark One" Rumple smirked

"And I am alive." Bae added

Blue had had enough. This man had ruined the potion that was supposed to break the curse and had broken the laws of magic.

"You destroyed the cure, the town is going to die because of you!" She screamed raising her hand, ready to capture the powerful sorceress but nothing happened.

"What did you do to me?" She gasped

"It's the price of magic, dearie, and you just happened to pay it for me. This hat that Hook trapped you in took all of your magical powers. And the town, well if you haven't noticed since you are merely human now and not cursed, is fine."

"You won't get away with this Rumplestiltskin!" Blue yelled angrily before turning on her heal and walking away with the other faeries as well.

"I already did" he smiled as they all left, the sorcerer following the faeries out as well. Then turning to his son he said, "Let's go home." A wave of red smoke swirled around them and took them away from the graveyard.


	6. You've Got the Love to See Me Through

In Storybrooke, Emma, Killian, the Charmings, Robin, Regina, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff all walked over to Mr. Gold's pawnshop. David grabbed the handle to the door; ready to barge in, only to find the door was locked. Well that was weird, he thought, it was midmorning.

"He's not there" Mother Superior said, "He is performing dark magic."

"Great" Emma responded, "What does that mean? And what are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you all, Rumplestiltskin stole my magic! Now there is no one to hold his darkness in check." Killian and Emma shared a knowing look, unsure of how the rest of the group would react.

Regina spoke first, "Why would he do that?"

"To bring back the dead of curse, dearie!" Rumple himself spoke as he and Bae landed outside the pawnshop. Then turning to the faerie he spoke with command, "be gone faerie! It's not like you actually ever counterbalanced my darkness. Actually you were the catalyst for most of it so I'm sure the world will be fine without you."

The ex-blue faerie looked from one member of the group to another. Some looked at her sadly but none of them said anything until she reached Snow. Snow was about to speak up and say something supportive to the faerie but instead she heard Emma scream.

"Neal!" Emma couldn't believe her eyes as the man stepped into the sight of the group. "I can't believe you actually resurrected the dead Gold!" She looked at Neal who was just staring at her and then he stepped forward and hugged her close.

"Why does everyone doubt my ability to resurrect me?" The Dark One joked, happy to see his son happy. It looked like Emma and Bae were going to stay in a hug forever until Killian let out an uncomfortable cough. Emma immediately stepped back her face growing red.

"Uh, hi everyone" Bae said awkwardly, he wasn't exactly friends with these people and he had absolutely no idea who Anna, Elsa, or Kristoff was.

Killian was the first to step forward; there was after all a time when he cared deeply for the boy. "Hey Baelfire, welcome back to the land of the living!" This seemed to get everyone going and they all said hi to the man.

Emma decided she better introduce the new members of Storybrooke. "Neal, this is Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa. I accidently released Elsa from your fathers vault a couple of weeks ago and well Anna and Kristoff were…" She paused; actually in all the rush and confusion of the shattered sight curse she had no idea what had happened to them. "Well Anna's her sister and Kristoff is her fiancé and they are going to explain what happened to them eventually right?"

Belle meanwhile had been organizing her books in the library when she had seen the entire group of Emma and co. cross the street in the direction of the pawnshop. She decided to ignore them, she didn't really want them all to know that her and Gold were currently feuding though she guessed Emma and Killian already knew. However when she didn't seem them cross her window again n a couple minutes, she became curious and decided to see what was going on. She stepped out of the library in time to see Rumple and Bae talking to the others. Bae! Her heart surged, Rumple had managed to resurrect him she thought. She never really doubted he would but that was quick, he had only left the hospital this morning. Either way she had missed Bae dearly, they had become quite close in the time when she had thought Rumple dead and well her husband's affection for his son rubbed off on her after hearing all the stories about him.

She ran towards the group ignoring whatever conversation was happening and through her arms around Bae. "Welcome back" she said before stepping back. And then she saw Anna and Anna saw her. They ran and hugged each other.

"You're in this land Belle?" Anna asked confused, "What is this place?" And then she turned to the group "and why are you all so friendly with the evil sorcerer and his son?" Anna hadn't recognized Rumplestiltskin at first but after a minute or two of listening to him talk she was sure it was the same evil sorcerer she had met earlier. She narrowed her eyes at Gold and looked as though she was about to attack the man before Belle wrapped an arm around him giving Anna a reassuring look.

"You know him?" Anna had the most startled look on her face that Belle had ever seen and Belle had to laugh at how comical she looked.

David meanwhile, always a sensible one spoke up before they could continue the conversation. "I think we all need to explain some things so why don't we go into the shop, is that okay Gold?" Gold nodded, "and stop standing in the middle of the street. Seriously we are blocking traffic." Gold waved his hand over the door and it unlocked allowing them all to step into the pawnshop.

Regina spoke first, "Okay you go first and she pointed to Anna. I want to know what you all are doing here." Her voice was suspicious; strangers were usually dangerous to Storybrooke.

"Okay," Anna said, "it's a long story but it starts out with Elsa finding this journal of my mothers." Anna proceeded to tell the entire story of how she met Belle, traveled to the Enchanted Forest, met David, fought Rumplestiltskin, returned to Arrendale, was frozen by the Snow Queen for almost 30 years, went to see Blackbeard, and then was thrown into the ocean by Hans before being found by the wishing star Elsa had.

Her tale was interrupted many times and when she mentioned how she had fought with Rumplestiltskin everyone turned to glare at the man who simply smirked and said, "what it was over 30 years ago, ancient history!"

Killian was upset to know his ship was in the hands of the sleazy Blackbeard but well it was worth giving it up, hopefully he thought as he looked at Emma who was sitting a little to close to Bae for his comfort.

With all the interruptions and with how long and detailed the story was it took awhile for Anna to finish her story but when she finally did she said, "Okay now that I've told my story, I have several questions. First," she turned to Belle, "how do you know Rumplestiltskin?"

"He's my husband." She said smiling, no need for her to broadcast their marital problems to all of Storybrooke.

"What? You… you married the evil sorcerer? I warned you about him! And you just went and married the man?" Anna was upset at first but as she thought about the situation she instead found it more funny. It was obvious the sorcerer loved Belle given how he was looking at her and everyone deserved true love.

"Yes," Belle said laughing as well, "yes, I did."

"How did that happen?"

"Well that is a really long story." Belle replied.

"And one we really don't have time for nor do the rest of us care to hear." Regina snarked, seriously there were more important matters than the love story of Belle and Rumplestiltskin.

"I'll tell it you another time" Belle promised smiling at Anna.

"Ok well second question then," Anna said this time looking at Elsa, "have you been in that urn for thirty years?" And that started a whole other long explanation of all the had happened in Storybrooke since Emma had released Elsa.

"So the Snow Queen is still alive somewhere in Storybrooke?" Anna asked at the end.

"Yes," Gold replied, "and I have a plan for that." He grinned evily.

"Well before you go off and kill her," Regina returned the evil grin, "how in the world did you manage to resurrect Bae? Could you resurrect others?" All of a sudden every eye was turned to him, they had all lost people and if Rumplestiltskin could resurrect Bae, maybe he could resurrect others as well.

"Sorry dearies, it's a one time thing. See I did eventually get the hat you had stolen from me back," he turned to glare at Anna, "and then I filled it with the faeries power, which was why she was so mad earlier, and used it to resurrect Bae. And I plan on doing it again. The hat will be the perfect thing to take down the Snow Queen."

"We don't want to kill her" Snow said, always in favor of sparing a life.

"It won't. Didn't Blue look quite alive to you? It simply steals the powers of the people sucked into it. It doesn't kill them. After she has been stripped of her powers, you can do what you like with her." His curse knew what he would like to do to her. The curse wanted to tear her apart limb from limb but he figured he probably shouldn't mention that out loud.

"Ok," Anna spoke up first, "Let's do this." And then with a laugh she added "I can totally trust the evil sorcerer who married my friend!"

Regina, always thinking, something Rumple taught her, asked quietly "and how exactly do we get her to step into the magic hat."

Elsa spoke up quickly, "Emma and I can do it. I'm sure she would meet up with us. She wants us anyway. That's her plan."

"Yeah," Emma added, "I'm good with that but how do we find your oh so lovely aunt?"

Rumple spoke up, "I know where she is. Her spell didn't work and she'll want to make a deal for a new one."

David was angry now, "you knew where she was all along?"

"Yes" was Rumple's only response.

"Well why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Yes and then you all could of run in there and been killed! She's powerful and she didn't have anything or anyone," he looked at Anna, "in her ice cave anyway."

Snow glared at the man but didn't say anything instead she turned to Emma, "Emma are you okay with this? I don't want you to get hurt."

Killian was there now, "Yeah, how do we know the crocodile isn't just going to try and suck the magic out of you and Elsa?" He almost added that the croc had tried before but then remembered the deal and kept his mouth shut.

"I already tried that and it didn't really work. It's time to move on from that idea." Everyone besides Emma, Killian, and Belle gasped.

"You tried to take Emma's powers?" Bae asked angrily

Gold had a response ready but before he could snap it out Emma herself responded. "Yeah, I asked him too. " Neal looked confused so Emma added, "it's a long story once all this is finally over I'll tell it to you. But I still have my powers and I trust Gold not to try it again."

"Okay then let's get this show on the road." Rumple spoke really not caring whether the girl trusted him or not as long as she did as he asked, "I'm going to go to the Snow Queen and make her a deal. The deal will be to deliver you two to her, which I will do except that you two will have the hat. You will then suck her into the hat and we can finally be done with all this."

"Okay" Emma and Elsa nodded.

"Well, everyone can leave then. I'll come get you two when I'm done with the Snow Queen." And with that Gold poofed off in a fluff of red smoke as everyone else exited the shop.


	7. That's The Way Love Goes

Bae stayed behind in the shop and as Belle was about to leave he grabbed her arm, "Hey, are you okay? Is pops okay?" He asked Belle worriedly.

"Yeah I'm fine. Your dads fine too, well he was in the hospital this morning so maybe fine is a bit over an overstatement."

"What happened? Is that why you two are acting weird?"

Belle laughed, of course he realized right away that things were weird between the two of them. He was just as observant as his father sometimes. "Well where to start. He stole Killian's heart. Killian tried to stab him with the dagger. I got in the way and Killian stabbed me. Your father healed me with an elemental magic that transferred the wound to him. That was four days ago."

"And what else Belle?" Bae prompted her

"He… well, he told me the truth. He told me about how he had lied about the dagger, how he had killed Zelena. Bae, he engaged to me over a fake dagger, a fake promise."

"Ugh," Bae groaned, "that idiot. You know he loves you right? I've been inside his mind, I know how you mean to him. He just doesn't know how to show it to people. He probably thought he was protecting you by not telling you the truth about the dagger.

"I know," Belle sighed

"Yeah, he can be a real ass sometimes." Bae continued, "but when this Snow Queen business is all over, I'll make sure he makes it up to you."

She let out a small smile but then Belle said what she had been thinking for days now "it's just, why did he choose power over me again?"

"Belle, he didn't. Not intentionally. He didn't not give you the dagger because he wanted the power of it. I mean I'm sure that was useful later when he found the hat but I don't think that was ever his attention. It's just, Belle, the dagger is basically his soul. He didn't choose power; he chose freedom. Freedom to be himself. And no," he said seeing the look on her face, "he didn't choose freedom from you. He chose it so that he could control himself. It's a terrible thing having someone control you, even if it is someone you love."

"That all makes sense, I just wish he would have told me and not given it to me instead of lying about it."

"Yes well when it comes to people he loves, my father is terrible at figuring those things out."

Belle let out a small laugh, "yes, yes he is. I'm glad your back Bae. He really missed you. Regina kept going on and on about how he got his happy ending and she didn't but he didn't really. You were always his happy ending."

"I think you're just as important as I am in that happy ending. I'm glad you're happy I'm back," he paused, "even if I was the reason Papa lied to you."

"Bae, you weren't. This is in no way your fault."

"Thanks Belle."

"Thank you Baelfire" and with that Belle walked out of the shop intent on returning to her apartment only to find Killian leaning against the outside door, obviously waiting for her.

"Miss French" he said grabbing her attention.

"It's Mrs. Gold" she replied not maliciously but not really friendly either. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with whatever the pirate wanted. Probably going to bug her about making sure Rumple didn't hurt Emma.

"Right," he said awkwardly, "look I just wanted to apologize."

"What?" She stared at him, "For what?"

"Well I know it's long overdue but after your help in getting my heart back I realized that you deserve an actual apology or well several. I'm very sorry for attacking you back in the Enchanted Forest and for attacking you here. And I'm really sorry for shooting you. You never did me any wrong and you can't help whom you fall in love with. I hope you will forgive me."

"Thank you Killian," Belle said smiling regally, "I do forgive you. We can all move past our pasts can't we?"

"Yes, I do hope so Belle." And with that Killian left and Belle walked back to her apartment in a much better mood. Now if only Rumplestiltskin could get his head out of his ass and stop lying to her the day might not be that terrible."


	8. Goodbye My Lover

Rumplestiltskin's magic swirled away and he found himself standing in the Snow Queen's lair.

"Hello dearie" he said scaring the Queen who had been intently looking at a broken mirror, "your little spell failed didn't it. Oh, so sad. True love is a very powerful magic."

"It doesn't make sense! No one in that stupid town should have been able to love each other with the spell of shattered sight in effect." She was angry and she turned to Rumple, "This is your fault! You protected some true love couple from the curse didn't you! We had a deal!" She screeched, throwing a wave of ice at Rumple.

The ice hit the protection spell he threw up and fell to the ground. "Now, now dearie. Play nice, you do not have me to blame for your failed little spell. I didn't protect anyone and I didn't break any deals." Ironically he thought it had been Belle saving him that had broke the curse but the Queen didn't need to know that.

"In fact, I'm here to make you a new deal. See since your spell didn't work, I didn't get to leave. I want to leave and you want some sisters right?" This woman was weird, Rumple thought, all this to replace her two sisters with magical beings but hey who was he to judge, "so what do you say, do we have a deal?"

"You bring the girls here and I'll let you leave the town. You can take your precious wife with you two. You give me two sisters and I let two people leave. "

"Very well, it seams we have a deal then." Rumple smiled, "pleasure doing business with you." And then he felt it and before he had a chance to ward it off, it had sunk in. Damn he thought, resurrecting Bae must have taken more power from him than he thought.

"Yes, indeed. And I think we know what I just did there. If those girls aren't my sisters by the end of the night, that ice that you feel hovering over you will lock over your heart. It won't kill you but it will hurt. See you later now"

Rumple quickly transported himself back to the shop, angry at himself for not noticing the spell before it was too late. His mind had been elsewhere, thinking about Belle and his magic was still depleted from this morning. Well no one needed to know about this new development, he thought, but then realized that lying to Belle again was probably not the best away to apologize her for lying to her. Plus he still planned on going through with the hat, the Snow Queen needed to be dealt with and so it looked like he needed to once again say goodbye to Belle. How may times he wondered could he tell his beloved he was going to dye before she stopped believing him. Well maybe this time really would be the last he thought as he walked across the street to the library. He wasn't going to actually die this time, just have his heart frozen.

"Belle," he called out, "upon entering the library. The library was closed now but he figured she would still be there.

"Rumple," she said surprised to see him.

"I know I told you I would give you space, but" he paused nervously, "well when I went to see the Snow Queen she placed an enchantment on me. When Emma and Elsa trap her in the hat, her ice magic will stop my heart. I won't be dead but I'll be in a coma forever, it's basically the same thing, he said sadly."

Belle ran up to him and hugged him, "Can't you do something? Can't you counteract the spell? Or take your heart out? Or I could kiss you, true love could break this curse too!"

She was smart he thought, thinking of all the same loopholes he had thought of. "I could counteract it if I had time but I promised her I would give her Emma and Elsa tonight. And if I remove my heart, I will still go into a coma. Once the heart stops beating it doesn't matter where it is. As for true love, she put a protection against it. Though not a strong one but probably enough to stop true love from breaking this curse. She learned her lesson from last time. So goodbye Belle, I love you. I never meant to betray you and I'm so sorry that I lied to you. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, I just want you to know how much I love you."

"I love you too Rumplestiltskin" she walked up to him and kissed him as tears dripped down her face. Yet her mind was thinking, going through all the possibilities, she knew she had to save him as.

"Goodbye my love," he stepped back and was gone in a poof of smoke.


	9. The Power of Love

In the Charming household Emma and Elsa were pacing nervously.

"Where is that man!" Emma yelled, "it shouldn't take this long to make a simple deal with Ingrid."

"Oh, it didn't. Just had to get some affairs in order. Ready ladies?" Rumple looked at them seriously. "You guys need to pretend that I put a spell on you. I can't create true love but I could theoretically put a spell on you that made you think you loved Ingrid. You need to act like I did that. And then this, he pulled out the hat, will do the rest. Now I'm going to open it but you need to make sure you don't point it at anyone until I tell you to. Got it?" He pulled his dagger out and waved it over the box, causing it to open up into the sorcerer's hat.

Emma laughed, she had seen Fantasia after all. "I can not believe you actually have the sorcerer's hat! This town never ceases to amaze me."

"So glad to be of amusement Ms. Swan, now let's go. Oh and hide that hat in your jacket or something." With that he grabbed Elsa and Emma and transported them into the Snow Queen's lair.

"Here are you are dearie. No broken deals from me." Rumple smiled at the evil women.

"Hello sisters!" Ingrid smiled, "so glad you could come!"

"Hi Ingrid!" Emma answered happily, and Elsa went up to give the women a hug. Hmm, Emma thought, she could be a great actress if she ever needed a job in this world.

As soon as Elsa stepped back from Ingrid Rumple gave the command, "Now." Ingrid wasn't paying attention, her face frozen in amazement at the fact that Elsa had just hugged her. Rumple feared for a second that Emma wouldn't do it but though the savior wasn't smiling she did pull the hat from her jacket and point it at Ingrid.

The look of betrayal on Ingrid's face was almost too much for Emma to bear but then she thought about the pain this woman had caused Elsa and held firm. Ingrid screamed as the hat began to suck her down.

"You will pay for this Rumplestiltskin" the Snow Queen called before finally being sucked completely into the hat.

"What does she mean Gold?" Emma turned toward him.

"She will still be alive when we use the hat, right?" Elsa added on.

"She means that because I betrayed her, my heart will now turn to ice. It was a spell she put on me in case I broke the deal. But I have never really been fond of my heart anyway," he cracked a smile trying to make light of the situation.

"But you didn't break the deal, you delivered us?" Emma knew he never broke a deal. Even if it was with an evil sorceress who tried to kill the whole town

"No, I didn't. But apparently the Snow Queen wrote it for any betrayal, not just for the breaking of a deal. As for your question Elsa, though why you would care I don't know, yes she will be fine once I use the hat." Rumple added. As he talked he felt the ice beginning to hit his heart and he began to sway.

Emma and Elsa rushed forward catching him as he fell to the ground. "Gold!" she yelled.

As he lay on the ground, his consciousness wandering in and out he managed one last word, "the hat" he rasped.

"The hat, what about it?" Emma asked back but Rumple was unconscious. She grabbed Anna and whispered, "let's get out of here" before using her magic to, hopefully, transport them back to Gold's shop.


	10. I Want to Know What Love Is

Neal meanwhile was in the shop pacing back and forth waiting for Emma, Elsa, and his dad to come back. He should have gone with them, he thought, worried something might happen to Emma or his father. He knew that going with them would have ruined the plan but still, he wished he had been there.

He saw the magic swirling in the shop and was instantly worried when he realized it was not his father's magic. This magic was glowing white and quickly dissipated to reveal Emma and Elsa holding the boxed hat and supporting his father who looked to be either unconscious or dead.

He rushed forward, "so you learned to use your magic?" he asked Emma while looking over his father. He leant down and put his fingers on Rumplestiltskin's throat, feeling for a pulse.

"Yeah, I did." Emma answered quietly looking with concern as Neal tried to find a pulse.

"I found it!" He yelled, relief clear on his face, "He's alive."

"Okay, I'm going to call Regina. Maybe she knows what's going on. And well I better call Belle too." Emma did not look forward to making that call.

She made the calls and a few minutes later they all burst in. Belle was the first one there and she immediately ran to Rumple's side and knelt down, holding his hand.

"What happened?" She asked Emma and Elsa.

"Yes, please tell us what is going on." Regina burst into the shop as well with half of Storybrooke following her. "Sorry," she said seeing Neal's look as everyone walked into his father's shop, "I was with them when you called and they all wanted to come."

"We were worried," Snow said looking at Emma.

"Well I'm fine," she answered brushly, "he on the other hand, is not." They all turned to face her and she continued, "The plan worked. We trapped the Snow Queen in the hat but then Gold passed out. He said that the Queen had put some kind of curse on his heart that would freeze it if he killed her."

"He knew?" Belle gasped, "Why did he go through with it then?"

"Of course he knew. He knows everything." Regina sighed, "my guess is he thought it was worth the price." She moved her hand over his unconscious body, "this is dark and powerful magic indeed. The Queen froze his heart and while he can't die, it will keep him unconscious for the rest of his life, which well in his case, is forever."

"Can't we do something?" Neal asked Regina.

"Well it better be quick. We have a day or two before this becomes permanent. The curse will fight it and will manage to keep his body alive but it can't keep his brain alive forever."

"What about true love?" Emma asked, "it worked earlier."

"Okay, try it" Neal said and everyone in the room turned to look at Belle.

"Ok," she gulped, "well here goes nothing." She leant down and kissed him, hard. She felt the magic of true love run through them and she saw the golden glow begin to emit from them as it did when the magic of true love was needed. However instead of the glowing increasing as it normally does, it instead dwindled down.

"What happened?" She asked Regina tears forming in her eyes, "Why didn't it work?" Her heart was pounding fast, he loved her she assured herself. They may have been in a fight but she loved him with all her heart, surely he did too. She didn't mention any of these fears though, instead turning to look at Regina. What irony, she thought; here she was looking for help from the women who had almost killed her.

"Oh don't worry." Regina smiled, "He still loves you and you still love him. Though I'm not sure I'll ever understand why." She smirked. Regina may not have been the evil queen anymore but she still wasn't a nice woman, "No, this is magic. It seems the Snow Queen learned something from the failure of her last spell and she put something into this one that prevents true love from breaking it."

"So what are we going to do?" Neal demanded of Regina.

"The hat!" Emma jumped up, "Gold mentioned it before he passed out and now I get why. The hat can brought Neal back from the dead so surely it can bring Gold back too."

Everyone seemed to nod; the idea made sense even Regina seemed to be considering it. "Ok, let me see it." Regina asked Emma and Emma handed the boxed hat over to her. She spent minutes with her eyes closed just holding the object, studying it with her magic before a disappointed expression fell unto her face.

"I'm sorry" she muttered "but that's not going to work." At the look on everyone's faces she continued, "This hat is incredibly powerful but to break a law of magic is not easy. I can't control the hat; I simply do not have the power. Especially not in this world. There is only one sorcerer who could bring back the dead with this hat and that's Rumplestiltskin."

"Whose currently unconscious" David pointed out the obvious.

"What do you mean in this land?" Anna asked, "Why would magic be different?" David had tried to explain to Anna and Kristoff how this world worked but he hadn't gotten very far before Emma had called them.

"This is the land without magic." Regina added, "The only reason there is any magic at all here is because Rumplestilktskin brought it with him. Since it's not natural here it is not very strong.

"Then how did Papa bring me back?" Neal questioned the former queen.

"Rumplestiltskin is the most powerful sorcerer in the land, as much as it pains me to say it, I am not. Honestly, I'm surprised that he even managed to pull it off." She cast a look of respect at the man lying unconscious on the floor.

"Okay" Emma sighed, "So does anyone have an idea?"

"Well," Mary Marageret spoke up now, "Regina you said there isn't enough magic in this land. What about another land?"

Regina looked at the women, the gears in her head turning. "It could work, "she muttered, "If we could return to the Enchanted Forest or somewhere else where magical is natural, I could do it. I could use the hat."

"Okay, well why this sounds great," Emma broke in speaking practically, "how are we going to get back to the Enchanted Forest? We haven't had much luck controlling how or when portals open around here."

"How much time do we have?" Belle asked quietly from her seat on the floor beside Rumple.

"2 days maximum though for safety reasons, I would say it would be best if we said 24 hours. Any longer than that and it might not be a complete Rumplestiltskin we bring back."

"Okay," Emma said, "Then we have 24 hours to find a way back to the Enchanted Forest.

"I'm going to call a town meeting," Snow White told the group.

"What? I really don't think now is the time." Neal spoke snarling at Snow White. Emma couldn't help but notice how much he looked like his dad in the moment.

"Yeah Mom" Emma added, hoping the Mom would soften the blow, "We have more important things to worry about than a town meeting."

"If we are going back to the Enchanted Forest, everyone deserves to know and have the chance to go back." Snow replied, her voice demanding they understand.

"No," Neal gasped, "we aren't _going back_ to the Enchanted Forest. We aren't packing up and having a fucking picnic. We are trying to safe my father and if going back home does that, than we will go but we are not making this some sort of group return trip." He stood up as he said this keeping his eyes on Snow White the whole time.

David stepped up for his wife, "I think she is just trying to say that if we are going back, everyone deserves to know."

"No they don't," Neal replied anger evident in his voice, "the priority needs to be on saving someone's life not informing people about some happy chance to return home."

David looked like he was about to respond but then Belle stood up from where she had been sitting quietly on the ground.

"Stop," she said quietly but with command the the arguing pair looked at her, "this definitely isn't helping." She turned to Neal, "Thank you for sticking up for your father but it's fine. Go ahead Snow, go tell everyone that if they want to go back to the Enchanted Forest we are looking for a way and planning on going tomorrow." She smiled at Snow but then her eyes became serious again, "But tell them that we are leaving," she paused, stopping to look at the clock on wall of the shop. It was nearly midnight, it was hard to believe that it was the same day that Rumple resurrected Bae and trapped the Snow Queen. It felt like that had been ages ago but in reality, it had only been hours. "We are leaving at three o'clock" she continued, "and I mean three o'clock sharp. If someone is a second late, we are not waiting." Her eyes challenged Snow or David to argue but they didn't instead just nodding.

"Thank you Belle," Mary Margaret replied, "I'm sorry that came out so callous. I know the important think is saving Rumplestiltskin, I was just trying to think of the town too." She looked at both Belle and Neal as she apologized. They both smiled slightly but neither said a thing, they all knew Rumple would never been anyone's favorite person in town, well except for theirs. With that said the group just stood there, unsure what to do next.

Emma stepped up and looked at her parents first. "Why don't you two go and tell the town while the rest of us help Regina find a portal in less than 24 hours. Also could you check on Henry for me, I know he says he is a _young adult_ now but it's almost ten and I don't want him to worry. Tell him I will be home tomorrow and that he needs to make sure he gets to school on time!" She yelled out to her parents as they left the shop. As Snow and David left the room Neal and Belle helped move Rumple into the car.

"I'm going to take Rumple to the hospital meanwhile" Belle told the group. "I'll have my cell if you need me."

"Belle," Regina tried to stop her, "I don't think the hospital can do anything."

"I know," She replied, "I just want them to monitor him and make sure he doesn't get worse." She paused before adding, "If you guys don't find a portal, he may need the hospital. Plus, I'm tired of constantly checking for his pulse." She let out a small laugh meant to relieve the tension but it sounded fake even to her.

"We are going to find something," Neal assured her, "And when we do we will call you."

"Thanks guys," And with that Belle left and the sound of Gold's old Cadillac could be heard outside the shop. When they arrived at the hospital, Whale checked them in before telling Belle there was nothing physically wrong with Rumple and so nothing he could do. He gave him a bed though and Belle had pulled a chair up to the side. She lay in the chair with her one laying on Rumple's, thinking about how she had been in this same situation only five days ago. They never could get a break she thought bitterly and when she drifted off she dreamed of peace.


	11. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water

Meanwhile there was still a huge group of people in Gold's shop.

"I don't know if I need this much help," Regina said motioning to the large group of Emma, Killian, Bae, Belle, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Robin.

Killian responded, "Well I would venture to say that we all have a good deal of experience with portals. And if we are going to get this done in time, then we best start." Killian may have hated the crocodile but Emma was devoted to this plan and he was devoted to Emma so he would stay by her side.

With that the large group began to talk amongst themselves, mentioning all the different types of portals they had gone through. The list was longer than they expected and the night slowly turned to day as they discussed different realm travel. There were plenty of portals in idea; ships, mirrors, curses, beans, doorways, sorcerers, the list went on and on but the issue was actually finding any one of these things. And the thing had to be powerful to take them back to the enchanted world, which was a feat in itself. Inner magical realm portal jobs were much easier than non-magic to magic jumps.

"We are getting no where," Emma growled.

"I mean it took the Dark One hundreds of years to perfect the curse that brought us here, do we really think we are going to find a way back in a day?" Robin asked this, voicing what the group had all been thinking as their search grew more and more futile.

Regina even wished Belle was here, she was great at research but Regina knew the woman wanted to be with her husband right now and so refrained from calling her just yet. But if things get more desperate, Regina thought to herself, she would call her. Thinking this she turned to answer Robin, "Yes, well, it should be easier for us. The reason Rumplestiltskin had such a hard time opening up a portal to the land without magic is that a portal as specific as his had been opened here."

"But the Blue Faerie gave me that bean that led to here before my dad created the curse?" Neal asked with confusion.

"Yes, well that bean went to a land without magic. It could have gone to any land without magic, this one just happens to be the one chosen. But," she paused, "this is good for us. Since Rumple already opened a specific portal to here, it shouldn't been as hard to simply go back in the same one." As Regina stopped speaking, an idea hit her.

"Yes!" She said, causing the others to stop and stare at her excitement, "That just could work. I need to call Belle." And with that she pulled out her cellphone and dialed Belle Gold's number.

The woman in question was currently asleep in chair lying by her husband's hospital bed. The shrill ring tone of the phone woke her up and it took her a few seconds before she got her bearings and grabbed the phone.

"Belle here," She answered hoping it was someone from the shop with a portal.

"It's Regina. I need to know where the core of the curse is?"

"How would I know," Belle was confused, "you were the one that cast it."

"Yes but Gold created it. And once it was broken he brought magic to Storybrooke which is what is maintaining the spell and keeping us here."

"The wishing well!" Belle said with excitement, thinking that this could work, "The one in the forest about a mile behind our house. I can come down to the shop and lead you guys there. What exactly are you going to do?"

"I'm going to strip Storybrooke of its magic once and for all." Regina smiled, sometimes it was fun to play nice she thought.

"Ok, see you soon." Belle hung up. She had many questions about this plan but she figured she could ask Regina when she saw her in person. Grabbing her things she kissed her husband, some part of her still hoping that just her kiss would save him, but nothing happened. She stood up straight, smiled sadly at him, and left the hospital.

At the shop there was uproar after hearing Regina's plan.

"How are you going to do that?" Elsa asked once Regina hung up the phone.

"And what will happen to all the people here?" Anna asked. She may not have understood the curse but Regina had said magic was holding them all here. What would happen when there was no magic to do that?

"Simple really," Regina smiled, "the hat. It can take magic from people, why not from an entire town."

"But you just said you can't control it." Emma commented.

"Not to bring someone back from the dead, I can't. But this isn't breaking a law of magic so it's not nearly as hard. I am going to need your help though," Regina looked at Emma, "with both of are magic we will open the hat into the well and then funnel all the magic from the town into it."

"Will it hurt the town?" Robin asked

"No, but someone better call Snow. There is no longer a choice. Everyone in this town is going back to the Enchanted Forest, whether they like it or not."

"What about Henry and I?" We weren't part of the original curse. "Will we get swept up to?"

"Yes," Regina said, "since you are implementing it, you will definitely be pulled along. Henry would be if he were holding unto to once of us. I'm sure he wouldn't mind getting a hug for a few minutes."

"Okay, then let's do this." Emma said looking at the group.

At that moment Belle walked in, still wearing her clothes from the day before. As she looked around she realized that the rest of the group was as well. Though it really was hard to tell, a lot of them wore the same outfit everyday anyway.

"Were you guys here all night?" She asked the tired looking group, suspecting she already knew the answer.

"Yes," Regina growled, "And when Gold is back alive, he is going to owe us big time!"

"Well I'm sure once he's alive we can ensure your payment." Belle snapped at the Evil Queen angrily.

"I'm just kidding!" The Queen responded quickly, "As prickly as Gold is, I would very much like for him to live. He is an old friend of mine."

Belle wasn't sure if Rumple would agree about the friends part but she nodded anyway.

"It's been a long night," Anna stepped in, the constant peacekeeper.

"Yeah, let's go find this well." Emma said looking at Belle, "How do you know where this is?"

"Rumple took me here when I was first," she paused a tragic memory flicking across her face, "well, was released from the asylum. It was when I got my memories back and the first time he told me he loved me." A happier memory now floated across her face, "And I saw him pour the magic down the well" She added quickly, they didn't want to hear about her love life after all, just the magic well.

Seeing the pain flicker across Belle's face, Regina stopped. "Belle," She said, "Before we go into the woods I feel I should tell you that I am truly sorry for imprisoning you for so many years. I was a different person back then, blinded by hatred. You don't have to forgive me but I wanted to say something anyway."

"Thank you," Belle stuttered, surprised, before finding her voice. "I don't know if I can forgive you just yet but I know that you are trying to change and be better. I, of all people, should know that people make mistakes. I am married to the Dark One." She smiled, "But thank you. That mean's a lot."

"Well that was touching," Kristoff interrupted, "But let's get on to the well finding."

With that the huge group piled into cars and drove to the Gold's residence. Once they reached the house they got out and began to walk, following Belle through the thick woods behind her house. Eventually they arrived at the old well.

"What's so special about this well?" Anna asked

"It has magical properties," Emma answered receiving several confused glances, "August told me actually back when he was, well an adult."

"Miss Swan is correct," Regina, added, "This was the most magical place in Storybrooke even when there was not magic here." Regina peered down the well before speaking again, "Yes, this is definitely where the magic originates from."

"So it should work then?" Neal asked hopefully.

"Yes, yes it should." Regina answered

Emma looked at her watch, it was only eleven in the morning and they had told the towns people three o'clock. "It's a little early, should we wait?" Emma asked.

"No," Regina replied, "it doesn't matter if people are ready or not. It's going to bring everyone and all their things anyway. Though we can give them some warning."

"I'll call my parents and tell them." Emma offered.

"Neal and I are going to bring Rumple here to ensure he comes across with us." Belle added as well.

"Okay, see you guys here in half an hour then." Regina spoke and the group disbanded to their various tasks.

Emma went to find her parents and tell them the news. She suspected they wouldn't be happy at the forced trip but it was the only option to save Gold. She was not going to let him die, not after he died to save the town and then Neal died to save him. It seemed the two of them were always dead when the other one was alive and that had to be remedied.

Belle and Bae meanwhile drove in silence down to the hospital, both lost in thought about everything that had happened and about returning to the Enchanted Forest.

"Are you okay Bae?" Belle asked eventually.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" He deflected the question as he answered.

"He's my husband and your father, I know you are worried about him." She answered but then continued, "I meant with returning to the Enchanted Forest."

Ah, Bae thought, sometimes he forgot how intelligent she was. He waited a few minutes thinking about it but she didn't rush him. "Yeah," he answered finally, "I am. That was the world I ran away from and while I found my father and I forgave him, I can't help but worry about what will happen when we return. The curse is weakened here for him, not a lot, but enough to make a difference. "

"Yeah," Belle sighed, "I was thinking the same thing. But at the same time, the Enchanted Forest is home and I think we can mange to keep him on his best behavior. Plus I'm not sure he will be able to avoid true love's kiss for that long."

"Haha," he laughed though thinking about his father and Belle together made him squeamish. He was an adult, sure, but no one ever got over the weirdness of the idea of his or her parents together in bed.

The rest of the ride they sat in silent peace before eventually arriving at the hospital. Dr. Whale helped them bring the still unconscious Rumple from the hospital bed to the car and they draped him across the back seat before turning around and driving back to the pink Victorian.

When they arrived at the house, they found just Regina waiting for them. As they got out of the car Regina told them that everyone else was at the well, ready to go.

"So this is?" Belle asked nervously, "This will work?"

"It's our best option." Regina answered, her voice sounding unsure, "This will definitely bring us back to the Enchanted Forest and once there we will have a much easier time breaking the curse that's on Rumple."

"Well then, let's go." Neal said.

With that Regina grabbed Belle and Neal who were holding Rumple. Belle flinched at her touch and almost pulled away before she realized the women was transporting them to the well.

"Next time a warning would be nice." She said as she landed at the well. Regina just smirked at her.

Emma looked at everyone and said, "We are all here, so let's go." She looked at her parents but they didn't offer any resistance. She had been right earlier, they were not happy that it was a forced trip but as it had turned out, almost everyone in town wanted to go. The Enchanted Forest was there home and most of them missed it dearly.

"Has anyone seen Gold open this hat?" Regina asked the group.

"I have," Killian answered, "He just waved his dagger over it and then it opened."

"Hmm. Belle do you have his dagger?" Regina asked.

"Yeah, I have them both. The real one and the fake one" she clarified for the group. At this point she could care less about fake daggers or who knew. "I'm not sure which one is real." She pulled the two daggers out of her purse, she had grabbed Rumple's when he had fallen unconscious, afraid that someone else might grab it and try to control him.

"Let me see," Regina said.

Belle was hesitant thought. She knew how much Rumple hated the dagger, hated being controlled, and would especially hate it if Regina had it.

Regina sensed this and rolling her eyes said, "Fine. You can hold them both, let me just see which one is real." She waved her hands over the two daggers in Belle's hand and pointed to the one in her right hand. "That one is real. That really is quite a good fake though."

Regina moved to grab the real dagger from Belle but Belle still pulled back. "I need the dagger to channel my magic and open the hat. I'll give it back to you as soon as I do."

Belle nodded and slowly turned over the dagger to Regina. Regina looked at the dagger slowly before waving it over the hat. The hat opened and Regina true to her word returned the dagger to Belle. The hat was glowing but Regina had the top closed so that no one would get sucked in.

"Ready Emma?" Regina asked, "I'm going to throw this hat down the well and then you need to use your magic to feel all the magic in the town. Feel it and then pull it here and put it into the well. It should want to go there, since that was where it was created anyway."

Emma nodded and shut her eyes concentrating. A blank look took over her face, as did Regina as the two of them began to pull all of Storyrbooke's magic toward them. The others could see it coming, big clouds rolling toward them. Once the clouds got close to the well, the hat did the rest, sucking it all up. Emma and Regina began swaying and Neal ran over to steady Emma while Robin did the same to Regina. Finally it appeared that the last of the magic had been pulled from the town and was not being sucked into the hat in the well.

"So now what?" Anna asked, "Nothing is happening."

"Patience," Elsa told her sister, "Give it some time." And so they did, five minutes past but it felt like ages to the group.

"Did it not work?" Neal asked nervously.

"I, I don't know." Regina seemed unsure, something she was not used to. But then they saw it, a huge cloud of green smoke coming toward them.

"It's here!" Snow yelled, "This is exactly how the dark curse looked, except well dark."

"See you all on the other side" Regina yelled as the wind began to whip around them. They all turned and held their love ones close as the world became dark.


	12. She Loves You

Belle had never liked using magic to transport places but this was an entirely different process. She didn't remember how the first curse felt since she had lost all of her Enchanted Forest memories upon arriving in Storybrooke. Even when they had all gotten their memories back, the last thing anyone remembered was the cloud coming. This time was different. This time they were all thrown to the ground forcefully by the curse. And well it looks like most of the town had been deposited inside the Dark Castle. Everyone was beginning to stand up and wander around the castle and Belle feared what they would run into so she stood up and yelled,"Stop!"

Everyone turned amazed, they had never seen the quiet woman yell that loud or with that much authority.

"I'm not sure why," She spoke as everyone paid careful attention, "But it looks like this curse brought us back the Dark Castle." People gasped as they realized where they were. "Do not touch anything! I mean it. Some of these items sitting around will turn you into all types of things, usually not good." People nodded, afraid to touch anything in the castle all ready. Belle pointed to a set of doors and said, "Go to ballroom. It's probably the safest room in the castle." Then she turned to Snow White, "Can you make sure they don't touch anything?"

"Sure," Snow nodded, "How do you know so much about the Dark One's castle?"

"Its' my castle too. I lived here for almost a year before Regina captured me and the curse took affect."

Snow nodded and followed the people into the ballroom where she could answer their questions and stop them from touching something and subsquentially earning the Dark One's wrath.

"Well Lady of the Dark Castle" Regina said, "That was actually impressive. I brought us here on person. I figured this place would have the most possible solutions to ridding Rumplestiltskin of the curse."

They turned and looked at Rumple, who Neal had laid down in one of the big chairs. His skin had changed to the gold hue but otherwise there was no change, he was still unconscious. Actually without Rumple awake to change his clothes, he was still wearing a suit making an interesting mix of imp and businessman.

Regina meanwhile was studying the hat that had come through with them. It was fully charged, the magic of Storybrooke had ensure that. She picked it up, thinking about it.

"Neal, how did your father bring you back with this?" Regina asked the man but he was paying no attention to her.

Instead he was looking at his stepmother, who after banishing everyone from the great hall, had ran over to his father. She currently was kissing him and a gold light was streaming from them.

"I don't think you are going to need the hat after all," Emma told the queen as they all turned to look at the couple.

As Belle kissed Rumplestiltskin, the gold light became stronger and soon Rumple gasped.

"Belle darling," he said looking at her, "You brought me back to life. You really are amazing." He went to kiss her again but caught sight of their surroundings and his own skin first.

"Ah, so that's how you got past the anti-true love part of the curse. You went back to the land with magic, where magic is powerful enough to break the Snow Queen's weak curse. How did you manage that one, dearie?" He looked at Regina.

"We threw the hat down the well." The Queen answered looking proud.

"Well, well. So it seems Storeybrooke is no more than. We have all returned home." Rumple smiled at Belle who was holding his hand.

"Yes, yes we have Papa." Neal said, walking into his father's line of sight. Neal hadn't seen his father as the golden imp in hundreds of years and was slightly taken back.

"Bae," Rumple smiled and stood up to hug his son, "You came with?"

"Well I didn't really have a choice," He joked, "But if I did, I would have came anyway." He smiled as he hugged his papa back.

"Well this is touching" Regina said, "But we need to deal with the hundreds of people in your ballroom right now. Also why are you still, well, looking like that? Shouldn't true love's kiss have remedied you of that?"

"Only one curse can be broken at a time, surely I taught you that dearie." Rumple said, grinning at Regina.

"Well then," Belle said and she went to kiss him again but Rumple stopped her. "Rumple-fucking-stiltskin!"She yelled angrily, "God help you if you choose power over me one more time!" She jumped up, angry flashing in her eyes.

"Belle," He said grabbing her arm to stop her from pacing angrily, "I choose you. I always choose you. I promise you that as soon as I help Regina get all these people from out house, you can kiss me as many times as you like. "

"You'll give up the curse?" She questioned, hesitation in her voice.

"Yes, Belle. You and Baelfire are the most important things in my life. I don't need magic, but I need you two." He smiled at his family, "Though I should still have some basic magical powers since not all my magic comes from the curse."

"Okay," Belle sighed and let herself be wrapped in his arms as he hugged her. "Lets go deal with these people then."

The group walked into the ballroom and all the eyes turned unto them. They shrank back from Rumplestiltskin, fearful of what he would do to them in his castle.

"Oh, relax dearies," He said addressing the group, "I am not going to harm you today. Instead I shall help you. You are to form three lines in front of Emma, Regina, and I and then tell us where in the Enchanted Forest you would like to go. Then poof, we shall transport you, and you never have to see us again."

The group nodded nervously, their magical choices were the Dark One, the Evil Queen, and Emma, the savior who was not known for her great magical control. But still they didn't want to spend the rest of their lives in the dark castle and so they did as the Dark One said and formed three lines. It took all night and at the end they had to draw on some of the magic from the hat but eventually it was just the small group left in the dark castle.

"Well everyone, thank you for your assistance." Rumple glared at Killian, but smiled at everyone else, "But I think it's time you go as well."

"We would like to go back to Arrendale," Anna spoke up bravely to the evil sorcerer she had met years ago but upon seeing his glare added, "please."

"Well," Rumple said, "that can be done." He began to wave his hands but Anna stopped him.

"Wait," she urged, "We have to say goodbye first."

"Well make it quick" He muttered.

With that Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa went around the group saying goodbye. Elsa hugged Emma close and told her, "Thank you so much. For everything, especially for helping me find Anna. If you ever want to travel up North, please come visit!"

Anna meanwhile went to say goodbye to David and told him he could visit as well before turning to Belle, "I'm so glad I got to see you, even if you did marry the evil sorcerer," She laughed lightly, and Belle knew she was joking. "You never did tell me how that happened so I expect you to come visit me soon to tell me." Anna turned to Rumple, "And you are invited as well if you would like."

Rumple smiled, unsure of what to say. "Well are you ready to go then?" He finally asked.

The three of them nodded and dark some swept them up and placed them back home in Arrendale.

"Well whose next?" Rumple looked around the room. Eventually he sent Snow White and Charming back to her castle. Next he sent Regina and Robin back to Robin's camp. Roland and Marian, still frozen, were there. Who knew what they were going to about the whole frozen wife thing, but that wasn't his problem. Killian wanted to be sent back to wherever Emma went and he felt his son might as well but his son ended up asking to stay in the Dark Castle with his father, which delighted Rumplestiltskin. So he sent Emma and Killian to Snow White's castle as well since that was where Henry was. With that it was just the three of them left in his castle.

"So are you going to make good on that promise?" Belle asked hesitantly.

Rumple looked at her, all night he had felt the curse telling him not to give up the power. He needed the power, he thought. Without it, he would be a coward, a poor spinner, nothing more. Belle would leave him, he worried, just as Milah had. Without power, he was nothing. The power gave him respect and wealth. Could he give it all up? He almost told her no, but then he looked at her. Hesitant and afraid, yet her eyes so full of love. He looked at Bae whose eyes were asking him the same question Belle had and thought about the price had paid for his magic. He thought about how he had missed so much of his son's life, about how he had thrown Belle out, leaving her to be captured by Regina, about how he had been kept as a prisoner by Zelena, about how he had been brought back from the edge of death so many times now. Life kept giving him chances, and he kept messing them up. It was time to change that. He thought about the lies he had told her and about the promises he had made her. And finally, thinking about how much he loved both her and Baelfire he responded.

"Yes." Here eyes lit up, "I am." And as she walked toward him, he grabbed her and kissed her passionately, dipping her as princes always did to princesses in Disney movies.

Baelfire gasped as he saw the curse breaking. His father's golden, scaly skin began to turn back into human flesh and when the couple finally broke apart; his father was human once again.

Belle laughed with pure enjoyment and he spun her around before going to hug Bae. He felt free. There was no voice in the back of his head, no curse telling him what he should do. For a second he felt empty but Belle kissing him a second time took his mind off of that.

Chapter 13-

As the three of them were laughing and talking, Rumple explaining to Bae how he had brought him back and listening to their tales of how they had saved him from the Snow Queen's curse, a knock on his door was heard.

"I'll get it," he said nervously, without his magic he had no defense against who ever was at the door. "Stay back," He told Belle and Bae as he walked to the door. He opened it carefully only to find it was Regina standing there.

"Back so soon, dearie? Why did you come to the door?" He questioned the queen, confused as to why she hadn't just transported in the building.

"Damn it." She said upon seeing his human form, "I thought I could catch you before you broke the curse. And I knocked because your wards are still up, which, seeing as you are now powerless, shouldn't be."

"They've been in place for hundreds of years, it's probably just going to take time for them to come down. Now what did you need my cursed self for?"

"Ogres. While we have gone the Enchanted Forest has run rampid with creatures and the ogres are not happy with us back. They have been attacking villages left and right. We could have really used your help."

Rumple sighed; this is what he had been afraid of. Being powerless and unable to defend his family. Then he saw the ogre behind Regina.

"You idiot" He yelled, "Did you bring them with you?!"

"No," she screamed as she saw the ogre, "This one must already have been here."

As the ogre came to attack the castle, he ran into the ward and bounced back. The huge creature stood up and began to try and beat the ward.

Rumple gasped as he felt the ward's weakening under the giant's fist but then his mind finally made the connection. He could still feel the wards, they were still connected to him. Regina had turned now and was throwing fire balls at the giant and Rumple, thinking to himself, here goes nothing, delved into his mind looking for the magic that he thought might still be there. He found it in an instant, it was more plentiful than he should have had without the curse, but now was not the time to worry about that. He grabbed the magic and created a fireball in his hand, but instead of throwing it right away he put an explosion spell into the middle of it and then threw it. It hit the ogre and as most of Regina's spells had, caused the creature to scream a bit but did not huge amount of damage. However a second the second explosion spell ripped threw the ogre and he fell to the ground dead.

"What?" Regina asked, "Where did you get that?"

Belle came forward confused as well, "I thought I broke the curse?" She asked.

"You did darling, but it seems I still have magic. Ah," he said, figuring it out, "It makes sense. See magic cannot be created or destroyed. It can change forms but it can't be created or destroyed. That's why the hat must take magic to be able to use magic. The magic that comes from the dark one's curse can not simply disappear and seeing as it wasn't passed along to someone, it seems that the magical powers at least, remain with me."

"But you aren't cursed?" Belle asked

"No," he said, "The dagger can no longer be used to control me and the curse no longer dictates what I do."

"Lovely," Regina says, "Than I am sorry to pull you away from your family, but you are desperately needed."

As Rumplestiltskin had once done hundreds of years ago, he saved the Enchanted Forest from the ogre wars, history repeating itself but this time he returned to a loving wife and a wonderful son.

And they all lived happily ever after.

(But as we all know, that isn't how fairy tales really work. Life is full of trials and tributes, pain and sorrow, happiness and joy, and every feeling in between and that was what made true happily ever after's)


End file.
